curlol



(No Model.) 2 Sheets -Sheet 1.

S. CURLIN, vAIR BED 0R PILLOW.

Patented Nov, 22', 1892.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

S OURLIN AIR BED OR PILLOW. No. 486,696.

Patented Nov; 22, 1892.

[UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFIC SETH CURLIN, OF UNION CITY, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN EMBERSON BECK, OF SAME PLACE.

AIR BED OR PILLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 'No. 486,696, dated November 22, 1892.

Application filed October 1, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SETH CURLIN, residing at Union City, in the county of Obion, State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beds, Pillows, or other Inflatable Articles, of which I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification.

In the accompanying specification my invention is particularly illustrated and described in connection with the manufacture of air beds or mattresses; but I do not wish the invention to be understood as restricted to such article, as it will be found applicable in whole or in part to a great variety of articles, such as air pillows, cushions, or any articles that are adapted to be inflated for use and collapsed for transportation or storage.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the bed or other article sh all, when inflated,be maintained in proper shape, and whereby the air or other fluid within it shall be securely retained against leakage or escape.

My invention consists, primarily, in the novel features of construction hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an air-bed embodying my. invention, the bed being shown as inflated and ready for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the bed turned partially inside out in order to illustrate the construction and arrangement of the parts. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the inflated bed. Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section through the inflated bed. 7

In applying my invention to the construction of a bed such as shown in the accompanying drawings I prefer to form-the top and bottom of the bed or mattress of the sheets A and B of textile material, preferably canvas or the like,while the edges of the bed or mattress are formed, preferably, ofa single strip 0 of like material stitched to the top and bottom sheets A and B.

In constructing the bed or mattress the sheets A and B have first attached to their inner faces the sectional stay-strips D, these Serial No. 407,373. (No model.)

strips being adapted to have their free edges subsequently stitched together, as seen at d in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The sheets A and B after the strips D have been attached thereto, as illustrated in Fig. 2, have their edges sewed to the edge strip 0 at all points,

except along the seam 2 at one end of the bed or mattress, the purpose of leaving the sheetA detached from the edge strip along the seam 2 being to permit the bed to be turned right side out after the sewing of the parts has been effected-that is to say, the bed or mattress is constructed wrong side out, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and is afterward reverted or turned right side out, so as to leave all seams except the seam 2 upon the inside of the bed. After the sheets A and B have been stitched to the edge strip 0 at all points except the seam 2 the operation of sewing together the free edges of the staystrips D will be begun, and at the same time the turning of the bed right side out will also occur. In other words, when the sheets A and B of the bed have been attached to the side strip D, as above indicated, and the staystrips D are to be united the turning of the bed rightside out will be begun by reverting the end 3 until the two adjacent stay-strips D are in position to be sewed, and the free edges of these strips will then be united, as at d, after which the reverting of the'bed will be continued until the second pair of stay-strips D have had their free edges united, and so on until all the stay strips have been properly united and the bed has been completely reverted or turned right side out. After this has been done the seam 2 at one end of the bed will be formed from the outside, the free edges a and c of the sheet A and strip 0 being turned inwardly, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, before the stitching of the seam is effected.

My purpose in employing the stay-strip D is to hold the bed in proper form after it has been inflated and insure the uniform distribution of the air or other fluid from end to end thereof, since manifestly if no such staystrips were used the tendency of the air under pressure would be to round or bulge upward the central portions of the bed and in use the shape of the bed could not be properly maintained. The object in forming the staystrips D of the two sections united, as at d, is to permit the strips to be more readily and conveniently applied in position, and it is manifest that by thus forming the bed or article with staystrips formed of dual sections in keeping with my invention a material saving in time and cost of manufacture is effected. It will be observed that the staystrips D do not extend the full width of the bed or mat-tress, but terminate at a slight distance from the side thereof, the purpose of this arrangement being to permit the free circulation over the entire inner surfaces of the bed or mattress of an airproofing liquid for the purpose to be presently explained. The bed or mattress is provided ataconveuient point, preferably at one end, with an air-valve E, closed by a suitable plug a, this air-valve being formed with flanges e and 6 which firmly bind upon the adjacent portion of the strip 0, through which the valve passes.

After the bed or mattress has been formed in manner above defined the exterior surfaces will be thoroughly and completely coated With a good waterproofing oil or compoundsuch, for example, as is used in the manufacture of waterproof canvas coats and like articlesand this oil or compound will be applied a sufficient number of times to render the canvas thoroughly waterproof and as nearly airtight as possible. After the waterproofing has dried upon the exteriorof the bed or mattress the same waterproofing oil or mixture is poured into the interior of the bed or other article and it is turned in various directions, so as to cause the entire interior surface to be thoroughly coated with the waterproofing oil or compound. Any desired number of waterproofing-coatings may be thus given to the interior surface of the bed or other article, the object being not only to increase the waterproof character of the canvas, but also to thoroughly protect the interior of the canvas from becoming softened by the action of the airproofing liquid which will afterward be placed therein.

In order to render the bed or other article thoroughly air-tight, and thus effectually guard against the escape or leakage of the air after the article has been in flated,I pourinto the interior of the bed or like article a suitable airproofing liquid or compound, preferably a mixture of linseed-oil, beeswax, and tallow in suitable proportions, this mixture serving to form a thin pasty film overthe entire interior surface, and thus serve to prevent the leakage of air therefrom. By constantly changing the position of the bed or other article the airproofing liquid can be caused to flow over the entire interior surface, and if the mixture be of the character above suggested it will serve to insure a tough and tacky film over the entire interior surface of the bed or other article, which will efiectively serve to prevent the leakage of air, even in event any slight crack or perforation should occur in the textile material. Any desired number of coatings of the airproofing mixture can be applied and the airproofing film thus rendered of any desired thickness, while at the same time the entire body of the bed or other article is maintained perfectly pliable and soft, so that it can be collapsed and folded when desired into a very small compass for transportation or storage and can be readily inflated and maintained in perfect shape and condition for use.

As has been above stated, my invention is applicable notonly to the construction of beds, pillows, or like articles, but will be found applicable as well in the construction of any article adapted to be formed of waterproof'or air-proof material and to be inflated and collapsed.

' The method of Water and air proofing herei nbefore described forms no part of the present invention, but is reserved and made the subject of a separate application for patent filed by me April 13, 1892, Serial No. 429,007.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An article of the character set forth having its main body provided upon its interior with one or more stay-strips dividing the article into compartments, said stay-strips being formed of long sections attached to opposite parts of the body, the free edges of said strip-sections being adapted to be connected together, substantially as described.

2. An article of the character set forth havingits main body formed of waterproof textile material and provided upon its interior with stay-strips D, formed of sections, the ends of said strips being free or disconnected to permitthe circulation of air and liquid about the same and the adjoining edges of the sections of the stay-strips being fastened directly together, substantially as described.

SETH OURLIN.

itnesses:

JOHN MooRE CoLDWELL, ANDREW JOHNSON 00mm. 

